Another man is claiming that a Lee County poll worker demanded his entire family to remove attire supporting Donald Trump for president, reportedly being threatened with arrest and even threatening to forcibly remove hats from their heads and escorting the man's daughter to the restroom to turn her Trump-Vance sweatshirt inside out.
1819 News initially detailed the experience of a man who arrived to vote at the Opelika Sportsplex in Lee County and witnessed at least one poll worker targetting Trump supporters.
The man claimed a poll worker was intentionally targeting Trump voters, even escorting one woman from the voting location for refusing to take off her MAGA hat.
Later that day, James Anderegg, another Lee County resident, relayed a similar story to 1819 News, this time involving Anderegg's entire family, including two of his daughters who were voting for the very first time.
According to Anderegg, he, his wife and their daughters went to the sportsplex to vote early Tuesday morning, waiting in a long line before having to go to work. Both he and his daughter donned Trump-supporting caps, while his daughter also wore a Trump-Vance sweatshirt.
After entering the building, a woman Anderegg believes to be another poll worker began "complaining" about multiple individuals who were similarly wearing Trump regalia. The woman approached Anderegg and his family, demanding they leave.
After informing the woman of Alabama law that allows citizens to wear campaign materials and apparel while voting, she returned with a poll worker he identified as poll inspector Sharon Braswell, who reportedly took a more aggressive approach with Anderegg's family.
"I guess she was the head person," Anderegg told 1819 News. "She started hollering to everyone, 'If you've got a Trump hat on, take it off now.'"
Braswell then reportedly approached Anderegg's family, demanding they remove their apparel. After similarly informing Braswell of the state law, Anderegg says she did not back down and even threatened to take the hats of him and his daughter herself.
"I said, 'No, ma'am. We're just going to vote and leave," Anderegg continued. "And she said, 'Take the hats off now, or I'm going to take them from you.' Then she looks at my daughter – again, this is her first time voting – and she tells my daughter, 'You have to take that off. You're going to have to go to the bathroom and turn that inside out.' And my daughter was just absolutely bewildered at what's going on, as we all are. About that time, [Braswell] says, 'If you don't take them off, I'm going to get a deputy and you're going to be arrested.'"
After the threat of arrest, which Anderegg described as "humiliating" since everyone in the building was observing the scene, he and his daughter eventually relented and removed their hats. Braswell also reportedly tried to confiscate the hats after the family removed them.
Braswell then allegedly escorted Anderegg's daughter to the bathroom to turn her shirt inside out. He became audibly emotional while detailing his daughter being "marched to the bathroom" through lines of voters to ensure she turned her sweatshirt inside out.
"This woman just pretty much humiliated my family in front of hundreds of people," Anderegg said. "And we know everyone there heard what was going on because she was trying to get the attention so people knew that she had all the authority in that place."
"I'm highly upset because she walked my daughter across line after line after line of people waiting to vote to a bathroom to make sure that my daughter changed her sweatshirt inside out. It was all so inappropriate and it was humiliating. I'm wondering if my daughter would ever vote again because of the way that she was attacked," he added.
Before 1819 News' initial story was published, an employee from Lee County Probate Judge Bill English's office told 1819 News the judge would investigate the matter personally. Since then, 1819 News has been unsuccessful in reaching English's office, and the probate has offered no additional information.
Secretary of State Wes Allen's office directed 1819 News to English's office when asked if Allen was aware of the situation.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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